If We Ever Meet Again
by boo-bop
Summary: Jesse was succesful and is the co-star on broadway. He manages to get the lead when the orginal cast leaves, but they also need a female lead and he re-meets Rachel Berry. Also find out the truth behind the "Egg Incident" St. Berry
1. Chapter 1

_What's somebody like you, doing in a place like this? Say did you come alone, or did you bring all your friends? , Say what's your name, what you drinkin, I think I know what you're thinking, Baby what's your sign? , Tell me yours, I'll tell you mine, Say what's somebody like you, doing in a place like this?  
(1, 2, 3, come on!)_

_I'll never be the same (if we ever meet again), Won't let you get away (say if we ever meet again), This freefall (ahh), got me so (ohh), kiss me all night, Don't ever let me go, I'll never be the same (if we ever meet again)  
_**~ Timbaland feat. Katy Perry, If We Ever Meet Again**

:

I stagger into my dressing room exhausted and sit down with my face in my hands. I take a swig of my water before I make my way on to the stage again. I may not be the star yet but it's coming. I know that for sure. Right now I'm sort of a co-star, not the star but as close to it as the others get, but this is still my first show, I've been learning some stuff in L.A, was the star for some smaller show, then went in to Broadway. I'm 21 now so it hasn't been that long. I got the role right away. People don't get parts because of they're nervousness, they said, but I was born with it. Of course I knew that, I knew I had talent right away ad I dwell on it. I'm not self-conscious, or nervous, I'm confident. I stand tall and don't let anybody take me down. Also I don't have any weakness, none that I can think of. My parents don't care anymore, they're always off somewhere. Neither one of them has come to see me since the divorce. They keep each other out of their lives, and me. I was never a part of they're lives but I've always been taking care of my self so it doesn't really matter. I sent them both a page long letter telling them how I go the part o Broadway and that I got them both tickets. Neither one of them came. They didn't even tell me why.

"Hey Jesse." I hear Mr. Moskowitz say from across the room.

"Hey," I say taking in a deep breath and making sure I don't look as tired as I am.

"So, you might've know that Dane and Maribeth are moving on now," _I knew this was coming soon enough. _"So we want to know if you want to take on the male lead?" He says with a bright mile on his face. Sure I'm not the original cast but I'm still the lead.

"Of course I would take it on. It'll be fun." I say as calmly as I can.

"Great." He says, "Oh, and there will be another girl coming to take on the female part. Pretty little thing, reminds me a lot of you." He says trotting out of the room.

_Alot like me? Well I might as well meet her._

I stop in my tracks to the scent of strawberries that's all too familiar and a glimpse of silky brown hair streak past me. I stop but I don't turn around because I know for a fact that she doesn't live here and she's younger than me so she couldn't catch up to me that fast. Even though I'm telling myself to keep looking forward and not to turn back I completely fail, I whip around and there she is. Rachel Berry.

She hasn't noticed me yet so I'm about to turn away before she does, but she sees me. Her eyes go wide so I turn away. Hoping I don't look as nervous as I feel, hold on. I feel nervous. _No no no. _I haven't felt nervous in years. Why now! It's just Rachel Berry. She did hurt me but I got her back. Then it was over. I would never have to see her again. Please tell me she's not the female lead. I don't know if I could handle that.

"Have you met your new female lead yet Jesse?" I hear Mr. Moskowitz's voice call out. I slowly turn around keeping on my showface, not letting it slide off as he introduces my ex-girlfriend to me.

"Actually. We've met before." I say, trying not to sound vulnerable.

"Really? How do you know each other?" He says.

"Um," Rachel starts but since she's not going to finish I finish for her.

"She was my girlfriend in high school." I say bluntly.

"Oh! Then it'll be really nice for you two to catch up."

_Yeah, really nice_.

"So." I say, "How've you been." _Casual Jesse, just be casual._

"Pretty good, just finished up with my first show now I'm moving on to my leading role." She says, sounding exactly like her.

"So, you start on one of you inevitability's yet." I ask without thinking, for a second I thought it was the good old days, when I was totally in love with her. Right now I'm trying to make the "was" stay a "was" She looks sort of shocked that I brought that up, and looks exactly the way she did when I came back from spring break.

"Not yet." She says looking up at me. A sad smile coming over her face.

"Someone's here for you Ms. Berry!" I hear someone shout.

I feel part of me collapse as I see Finn walk in the room. Finn Hudson. I guess he got the girl after I left. He stops for a second and gets that idiotic confused look he get and gives rachel a sharp glare, so I step in.

"We're the stars of the show Finn." I say, "_I'll do my best to stay away from your girl_" I say mockingly. I march out of the room not meeting anyone's eye, just looking ahead, like 've been doing all my life.


	2. Chapter 2: Made For You :rachel:

_Tell me something Something that can move me, Don't tell me lies, Or I swear you're gonna lose me, Guilty? like an ocean, Jealous of the fish it feeds, Your devotion, Swimming inside of me, Everybody wants you to make, Its all yours, Everybody wants you to take, Its all yours, Everybody wants you to make Its all yours, Everybody wants you to take, T-t-t-take it Can you feel all the love (repeat 3x)Like it was made for you _~ **OneRepublic, Made For You**

"What was that all about?" Finn asks me, probably as confused as I am about the whole situation.

"I don't know." The best answer I could come up with.

For awhile I drift off in to some place in my mind and think about the days when all that really mattered to me was Jesse. While I'm remembering this I have to keep repeating: _I'm with Finn, I'm with Finn_, over and over again in my head.

"Who the hell does he think he is." Finn practically shouts.

"Jesse St. James." I say, and that's pretty much all I have to say. He's Jesse St. James. Part of me wishes he never came back in to my life making me more confused, but also wishes he didn't storm off and that he stayed with me a little bit longer. But it didn't happen, _Jesse_ is gone, and _Jesse St. James _took his place. What's the best thing I could do. Pretend like nothing happened and everyday is a new day at work. That's the best thing I could do.

"What are you going to do about him." Finn asks.

"I don't know." I reply even though I thought it all through in my head right now, I can't seem to speak.

"Don't you know anything!" Finn shouts at me and storms off on a Finn rampage. But he has a point. I know nothing. People say I should stop letting Finn walk all over me, but honestly I don't know how. I feel as if I can't let him go again, but I also wish he would just leave already. I think all my thinking is what makes me so high strung.

Something that I've been wondering about for the past 3 days is why Jesse acted that way, so in short I've been mainly thinking about Jesse St. James. I keep on thinking about the possible reasons that Jesse would hit me with and egg, but wind up thinking if he would ever want me back again. I'm so deep in thought thinking about these things that I don't even hear Finn come in.

"It's burning." He says.

"OH! Crap!" I say loudly, I completely forgot that I was making a sandwich.

Finn is staring at me in the weirdest right now.

"You were thinking about him weren't you." He says flatly.

"No." I lie, "Why would I be doing that."

And with that I walk away only to be stopped by his hand grabbing my wrist.

"Rachel." he warns.

Yanking my arm away I run up to my room and close my door hoping he can't get in because I'm not in the mood for arguing right now. That's all me and Finn seem to do lately, we argue and fight and argue and fight, and neither of us see sense. Ever.

It makes me remember my days with Jesse, we never fought. There was that one time but that was clearly my fault. If Jesse made a video with a bunch of his ex-girlfriends and me I would be pretty upset too. I was so happy when he came back. I remember the exact thought I had when he told me that me being on Broadway wasn't a fantasy and that it _would_ happen.

_This is real._

_We're meant for each other._

He understood me in a way that no one else could. Everyone hated me, but he didn't. He loved me, or at least thought he did. I know that I loved him, that's for sure.

: :

The first day of rehearsal was easy, and hard at the same time. We had to get to know each other. Since me and Jesse already know each other but since we have a good and a bad past together (with the bad eclipsing the good) it was hard. I thought about bringing up some subjects but I always talked myself out of it before I said it so it was quiet. Until Jesse said something.

"So when did you and Finn start dating. Again." He asked me. _Uncomfortable._

"Um, Well around Sectionals. We had a period where we broke up but that just made our relationship stronger." I say. A scowl crosses his face and he switches topics.

"So what musical did you do before this one?" He asks me.

"Uh, I was in West Side Story." I say

"Oh, did you play Maria? You always had that connection with her." He says grinning, but then his face drops as he realises who he's grinning at.

"Yeah, I wish, but unfortunately I got one of the smaller roles."

He nods and quickly glances over to Mr. Moskowitz to see if we're done yet (which we're far from) and puts on a showface.

Then for some reason, I stop thinking about what's going to come out my mouth and just say what's been on my mind for years.

"So, did you start seeing anyone after we were finished." then my eyes go wide at what I just said! I always tell myself to keep my mouth shut when it needs to be shut but it never works. I'm always blurting out things that should just stay in my mind.

"Actually," _I don't want to hear this, I don't want to hear this. _"I didn't."

Now this catches me by surprise. He was a complete player from what I heard before. He would hang out with different girls all the time. Did Jesse change, for the better or for the worse.

I stop thinking about it because my head is getting all jumbled up and confused. I look up at Jesse and he has a face that I remember. From the day he hit me with the egg. It's a mixture of pain and confusion and, well, betrayal. It confuses me. The look on his face confuses me, because he's the one that hurt me, _he_ hit _me _with the egg so why did he look like that. Wait, why is he looking like that now. He's not staring at me but at something behind me, so I turn around. Finn is standing there.

"Thought I would watch the first day of rehearsal." He says, "Mind if I watch."

I'm about to object but before I can Jesse speaks up.

"Be. My. Guest." He says evenly, "I was just about to go get a bottle of water."

I turn around to watch him leave, and keep on watching him.

He opens his phone, check it. Dials a number, and closes it and takes a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks. He looks sad, upset. I feel like I should hug him but I know I can't do that.

So I look back at Finn and repeat in my head: _I'm with Finn, I'm with Finn._


	3. Chapter 3:Boulevard of Broken Dreams :J:

_I walk a lonely road, The only one that I have ever known, Don't know where it goes, But it's home to me and I walk alone, I walk this empty street, On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Where the city sleeps, and I'm the only one and I walk aloneI walk aloneI walk alone _

_I walk aloneI walk a...My shadow's the only one that walks beside me, My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating, Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me'Til then I walk alone_**~ Green Day, Boulevard of Broken Dreams**

_:_

They weren't there, typical. The only way I can get a hold of them is if I'm dying in the hospital or I robbed a bank, and even then there's no guarantee. My parents have always abandoned me when I need to talk the most. It used to hurt (sometimes it still does but you will never catch me admitting that to just anyone, and there hasn't been someone I can trust enough to let know yet.) but I've grown to get used to it by the time I reached 12 years old and I realised my dad was never going play baseball with me. I just decided I would stop caring about them, but I've never been able to keep a resolve I make. Like when I said I was going to stop trying so hard for my parents to notice my success, or that I was going to get over Rachel, or that I was going to beat the crap out of Finn one day (I figured someone else will do it someday so there's no point in me trying so hard to do it.)

"Jesse." I hear a soft voice say behind me.

"What?" I say whipping around hoping she didn't she my vulnerability.

"Oh, um, rehearsal is over." She says, "Just- I didn't know if you knew."

"I didn't." I say walking away and quickly add in an unnecessary "thanks."

:

You can practically feel the absence and hollowness of my house when you step inside. I have 2 more like this, one in Canada, and the other in Mexico. I used to go there with my old Vocal Adrenaline friends. We've completely lost touch now. I have no idea where they're rotting. That might sound cold but they're just going to end up like me. Rotting and lonely in a house way too big for one person. We're all the same, soulless automatons.

I'm about to make myself dinner (you have to learn this stuff when you've lived on your own for most of your life.) and I hear a knock on the door. Which is weird because the only person who ever knocks on my door or comes to my house is Mr. Moskowitz, but he makes a tune when he knocks so I know it's him, and there's no tune, just a flat knock.

When I open the door I'm surprised to see Finn standing in front of me. Giving me the evil (idiotic) glare. It just doesn't suit his boyish face… Ugh, why is her even here.

"Excuse me?" He says fiercely and it takes me a second to realize that I just said all I was just thinking now out loud. Crap.

"Hi. What are you doing here?" I ask him imitating his fierceness, which isn't that hard considering what a great actor I am, and what a child he is. He can't even look fierce right! What happened to Rachel's taste in men.

"I wanted to tell you something." He said inviting himself in to _my_ house. Seriously dude, respect. "And can you stop insulting me." Okay so I basically can't keep my thought in my head to stay in my head.

"I want you to stay away form Rachel. She's with me now, get over her." He says sharply.

Oh my gosh, he's telling me this. "_You're_ telling _me_ this." I say.

"Ha! That's hilarious, now get the hell out of my house.' I say.

"Wait a sec. This is your house, like by yourself." He says (once again) idiotically.

"Yes, it is. Now, Get. Out." I really want him to leave. He's been here less than 5 minutes and is already annoying the hell out of me.

He glares an (idiotic) glare at me and I move out of his way so he can leave.

But he doesn't, he whips around and looks at me, "Why do you want her back now?" He asks.

"Who said I ever wanted to lose her." For the record, I thought I was thinking this. But I seem to be literally speaking my mind today. It's so annoying.

He looks confused for a second, "Then why did you hit her with an egg."

"Now that," I say half closing the door, "Is not something I feel like talking about right now."

Slamming the door in his face felt so good, I wish it hit him.

:

Today rehearsal was mainly learning some dance moves. Lots of us needed to learn new dance steps. There was no physical contact, mostly just staring in to each others eyes, personally I think it's much harder. Soon enough I'm going to have to get used to this, that I'm going to be working with Rachel. I have to make some sort of peace.

"Rachel." I say, and she stiffens up (which proves why I'm about to do what I'm going to do.)

"We have to forget." I say, and she turns around.

"Forget?" She says, "You mean like the past."

"Yeah, like what happened and what could've happened. We have to be friends, and if not that then at least normal work mates, not turning away every time we look at each other."

She stops and thinks about it for a second, "I agree." She says finally, "We have to get over what happened in the past and star over a new." and she finally smiles at me, and I realise how much I longed for her to do that. I smile back at her.

"Have you heard from Shelby?" I ask.

"Sometimes." She says, "We talk on the phone mostly, gives me updates on Beth. She's a real smart little thing. She want me to go back there and start singing lessons with her."

Rachel is beaming, happy. And that makes me happy, we're talking again.

"Sweet, have you seen her? She's blond and looks a lot like Quinn."

"You've seen her?" She asks me curiously.

"Yeah, I visit down there a bit, and when I do I go see Shelby. She is the reason I-" I stop, I can't tell anyone, especially not Rachel.

"I started to sing." I finish so she won't get suspicious or ask why, fortunately I'm a good actor.

"Really, I think singing was always in me. I always loved it."

"you can tell." I say

"You can tell what?""That you've been singing all your life, your voice is really well trained. There's so much emotion in it."

"I always sang a song that matched my emotions when I practiced, and eventually I got used to singing that way. My voice is really important to me. It makes me feel… more confident."

"You can tell." I say.

And that's that. We're happy again. Maybe not in the same way as before but we're still happy with each other. I don't know what will happen in the future but right now, right here, I think I'm going to make this moment last for a bit longer, or at least until Finn comes to pick her up.


	4. Chapter 4:Things I'll Never Say:J:

**Hey guys. I'm BACK! I lost interest in the story for a while because I had no idea where I was going with this but now I have it all thought out, so there'll be more updates. And everything in Season 2 happened- except for Jesse coming back and flunking out of L.A. He left by choice and is trying to make it big in New York! I'm excited to start up again. I hope you remember where we last left off.**

**:**

_'Cause I'm feeling nervous, Tryin' to be so perfect, 'Cause I know you're worth it, you're worth it. Yeah...If I could say what I want to say, I'd say I want to blow you-awayBe with you every night, Am I squeezing you too tight? If I could see what I want to see, I want to see you go down-on one knee, Marry me today, Guess I'm wishing my life away, With these things I'll never say_

**~ Avril Lavigne, Things I'll Never Say**

:

"_Hey guys." I say greeting my old team mates from Vocal Adrenaline._

"_Jesse!" They all shout as they run up to my side. Then Miranda my old "playmate" starts reaching out for a hug but I stop her halfway._

"_Taken, remember." I say stopping her with my hand. They all start laughing as if I told the most hilarious joke._

"_C'mon Jesse. We all heard about the Run Joey Run thing. You are now permitted with an actual reason to break up with her now. Now that she's listened to the tape she can manage to find Shelby on her own."_

_I actually don't know what to say, I want to stay in New Directions and be with Rachel, but I can't let my team mates down. They need me. As selfish as it sounds- they need me, without me there's no way they'd make it. I'll bring it up later, but for now I change the subject._

"_So, what are you guys doing for Regional's?"_

"_You mean 'we', we're planning on doing a mash-up. We haven't figured it out. We just need something that'll go best with your vocals.""Also I managed to hit that high note I couldn't get before." Miranda says trying to impress me. It would've impressed me back when I hadn't met Rachel yet but now all I can think is that Rachel hit that note before she turned 11. I miss her. It's not over yet, it can't be. I know that for sure._

:

"Hey Rachel" I say as I walk in. She quickly turns up to me quickly brushing her hair back from her face.

"Hey Jesse, what's up?" She says brightly. What I notice the most is that it's not fake, just bright, like her.

"Oh nothing really. Just getting ready for my reunion with Vocal Adrenaline." I say. I notice her smile starting to waver but she keeps it on, doing her best to not make it awkward.

"Hm, well what are the musical hells angels doing with their life now."

"Now that is what I want to find out. We haven't spoken since we all went our separate ways when we all graduated."

"That's cool. Lately I've been up pretty late practicing for the play. I'm so excited. I was in New York for Nationals and it was amazing. I even met Patti LaPone." She says with a grin.

"That's amazing!" I say with a chuckle. "I remember when you tried to convince us both that she was your mother."

"Yeah, I remember that. But now I know my mother is Shelby. I'm pretty happy with that."

"Shelby's done really great things for my life. I should get you to see her, considering that you haven't seen her for a while."

"That would be amazing!" She says, her eyes lighting up like fireworks.

"Yeah, She's in L.A going to work on her first movie, she would be happy to have us." I says just as enthusiastically.

For a while we're sitting there, basking in the light of our newfound friendship. Then reality hits me. She wouldn't be able to come with me, Finn has her on a leash. He wouldn't let her come, he would think that I'm just trying to steal her away. Am I trying to steal her away? No no, we're friends now and I'm pretty content with our friendship. That's all I need right now. A friend. I glance over at her and her eyes are intense, so I can tell she's thinking the exact same thing. She turns to me with confusion and despair on her face. She really wants to go. She starts to say Finn's name but I cut her off.

"He can come. My jet is pretty big so he can come. Please, it'll mean a lot to Shelby if I can get you to come see her. She can't afford to take a vacation right now. Her career is just starting to take off, and she can't leave that right now."

Rachel takes a moment to think, her eyes still intense. She looks up at me with a determination in her eyes. "I'll go. Finn knows I need this, and as long as he comes he would let me go." She starts to nod her head. "We're going to do this!" and with that she starts her smile up again, and I know that doing this will build up our friendship and make us closer. I try to hold on to this beautiful moment where I'm happy.

Rachel and I work our the plans for our trip. I get the jet ready and she get's Finn ready. We both already talked to Mr. Moskowitz telling him we had a family thing to attend. It was weird saying it, _we_ had a family thing together, but nonetheless it made me feel a little less lonely, even if I knew it was wrong to feel that way. Maybe I should phone Shelby and talk to her about it. Yeah, it would be a better idea than coming up unannounced, she would want to plan something. Even though I already have her on speed dial I usually wind up typing in her number anyways, I have it memorized.

After a couple of rings she picks up the phone.

"Jesse?" She says.

"Hey Shelby, You doing anything this weekend." I say.

"Not that I know of, just working on my movie. Why? Anything up?"

"Oh, nothing really. It's just that Rachel, Finn and I will be up there this weekend. So we were kind of hoping to come visit you."

"Really? I'm glad you phoned. I know that you know that I hate surprises. Anyways, I have lots of room up here so I'd be glad to have you.""Sure, we'll be up there on Friday. You don't really need to plan anything special. And I've been working on new dishes and I'd love to try them out on you." I say, probably sounding like a little kid begging his mother to let him use the vacuum cleaner. But Shelby has always been sort of my mother figure, since way back in high school.

"Of course Jesse, you know that I'm always happy to have you come and cook for me." She says, and I can feel the smile on her face.

"So I'll see you then. Have a good night Shelby."

"For sure, and I always somehow manage to, don't I Jesse."I know that she's happy with this, she's been wanting to see Rachel for a while, but Rachel could never afford a trip down there she would always tell me. She'll be overjoyed. So will I. I'm getting a good feeling from this, I just know something good is going to happen. I take long strides while I walk to my car, jingling my keys in my hand going out to the mall to get some new clothes and a present for Shelby.


End file.
